


of coffee and markers

by thatemofangirl



Series: AUgust 2020 [18]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies)
Genre: AU-gust 2020, Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - College/University, Bakery and Coffee Shop, Baristas, Coffee Shops, Fluff, Harley Keener Flirts, M/M, Ned Leeds is a Good Bro, Peter Parker is Trying His Best, Peter Parker is a Mess, Precious Peter Parker, Young Love, kinda an college au too
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-19
Updated: 2020-08-19
Packaged: 2021-03-06 06:01:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,130
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25998670
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thatemofangirl/pseuds/thatemofangirl
Summary: Peter loved Bean Box for multiple reasons: the music, the lighting, the comfort...and the attractive barista he had a giant crush on.
Relationships: Harley Keener/Peter Parker, Ned Leeds & Peter Parker
Series: AUgust 2020 [18]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1858408
Comments: 6
Kudos: 173
Collections: Parkner Coffee Shop Collection





	of coffee and markers

**Author's Note:**

> Day 19: Coffee Shop
> 
> Who doesn't love a coffee shop AU?

Bean Box was one of Peter's favorite places to go. It was small, out of the way enough that many people didn't really know about it, and his favorite barista (more like the only barista he's ever seen) never asked questions about his caffeine intake.

The coziness of the quaint coffee paired with the lovable cluttered space reminded Peter of the Queens apartment he grew up in that he called home. The warm browns and oranges of the floors and walls, sinkable couches, and the brightly sunlit space instantly made Peter claim it as a place of comfort and tranquility.

When he needed coffee to make it through the day, wasn't in a particularly good mood or was homesick, or just wanted some time to relax and take a break away from the college campus and his school work, he would make the short trip to Bean Box and settle down with some food and work on modifying his web fluid recipe or making web shooter adjustments.

He also loved to see Harley, the barista that was always on shift every time Peter came into the shop. He may or may not have worked his schedule around so that he could always catch Harley. No one could ever prove it so he never acknowledged it.

He and Harley never had any conversation that lasted longer than Peter's order took, mainly because Peter wasn't sure how to start one without going red in the face and tripping over his words so badly he was afraid Harley might think he was having a stroke. He tried once. That's exactly what had happened. He only knew Harley's name because it was plastered on his apron. Otherwise, Peter never would have had enough courage to ask.

The boy was sure he didn't hide his crush well. Harley had caught him staring on numerous occasions, all of which Peter immediately acted like he was doing something and becoming too embarrassed to look back up for at least ten minutes. He always had to prepare himself to make his order, take a couple of breaths to calm his quickening heartbeat and then still have to repeat it because he would always talk too low or his voice would crack or he would forget the words entirely because he got lost in the way Harley would wait patiently with a charming smile and ocean eyes trained intently on Peter.

Peter made a fool of himself more times than he could count. He was never one for subtlety. He always made his feelings obvious no matter how much he tried to keep them secret, and a terrible pair to go with it was that he could be really oblivious and dense at times.

Harley had been a lifesaver when Peter started coming in enough for his order to get memorized to the point where the barista would smile when Peter came in, ask "The usual?", to which Peter would be able to gratefully reply with a shy smile and a small nod.

And if he ever noticed Peter's obvious attraction to him, he never brought it up or acted weird about it. But somedays, Peter liked to think about how things might go if Harley had ever verbally flirted with him. Surely he would become a blushing mess, but the actions would at least let Peter know that he wasn't dancing around someone who was unavailable or uninterested.

It took an embarrassingly long time to realize that most days, Harley _did_ flirt with him. It wasn't until he got sick one day and wasn't there when Peter stopped in. Besides the feeling of disappointment, the boy had found himself missing the feeling of someone looking at him and finding out that Harley caught glimpses at where Peter was normally seated curled up in the corner of a deep blue couch resting against the arm with a notebook and his coffee and the occasional muffin or sandwich, or how he would _accidently_ give Peter an extra free cookie.

He realized that Harley must have picked up on him panicking everytime he tried to talk and decided not to subject him to that torture, coming up with more subtle ways to show Peter he felt the same way—more smoothly of course. And it was Peter fault he didn't realize fully Harley was legitimately interested until he noticed one day a message scribbled on the side of his coffee cup one morning before classes.

_There's something special brewing between us_

Peter had looked back, not noticing the handwriting until he was out the door. Harley had just sent a wink and through the glass door, Peter could have swore he heard his laughter.

Peter kept the cup even after he finished the drink.

In fact, as unsanitary as it could be viewed, Peter kept every morning cup with a cheesy coffee themed pick up line or one liner in a box he tucked unde his small desk—and when the collection grew, under his bed.

"When did you start going to Starbucks?"

"Hm?" Peter crinkled his eyebrows as he erased a line of the paper on reasons to stop government experimentation on registered Mutants he was working on vefore rewriting it anyway. "I didn't." He told Ned, glancing sideways at where his friend was sitting.

At first he didn't register that Ned was reaching for his coffee cup until it was already in his hands. In a late reaction, Peter jumped for it but Ned had already read the words scrawled in black marker on the side.

"I think Harvey spelt your name wrong," Ned snickered, completely unfazed by the glare Peter sent in his direction before snatching his cup back. " _'You're such a hot-tea'_ isn't even remotely close." He teased even further and Peter hid his grumble behind a sip out of the cup of cold liquid. He had been nursing the coffee all day for no real reason.

"His name is Harley," Peter corrected, turning his attention back to his laptop and trying his hardest to ignore the way Ned almost doubled over.

"I know. I know. But this is getting pretty ridiculous. Just talk to him Pete, he obviously likes you too."

Peter groaned, saving his work and then shutting his laptop and letting his head fall into his lap as he sat cross-legged on his bed. "It's not that easy!"

"I would think you would have got used to talking people you find attractive." Ned sighed. "Just summon some of your Spider-Man confidence. Pretend you're in the suit. Maybe that'll help."

"I've tried and failed. He's just— Harley's just _too_ endearing."

"That's not a thing Peter. You're just helpless. A month and some change of speaking basically the same words and movie-like eye contact, and this guy's got you completely whipped."

Peter couldn't find it in himself to argue. He _couldn't_ argue. He knew it went further than just the routine speech while ordering and catching the other staring. There was something about the extra food Harley snuck or the cup conversations that showed extra sentiment and made Peter's chest swell with elation.

Instead, he just finished off his cup and added it with the others. He and Ned finished up their study session and he walked his best friend back to his dorm room. They weren't roommates sadly, but they had got lucky enough to be in the same hall only a few doors away from each other. Peter's roommate Harry wasn't too bad; he was just really social and out a lot, so that left Peter alone most of the time.

With Harley now on his mind (as if he never left), Peter was quick to fall asleep, looking forward to the morning.

Walking into Bean Box was the same as ever. The overwhelming smell of freshly brewed coffee mixed with the various pastries and sweets behind the counter. The same soft wind down music played overhead. And like always, Harley stood behind the counter.

He was looking down at his watch, looking up just as Peter opened the door. Peter wondered if he really had come in enough that Harley could predict the minute he walked through the door or if it was just good timing.

"Good morning," Harley greeted with a smile as Peter leaned against the counter, about a foot and a half away from the boy across from him. "You have class today, right?" He asked, not sounding at all like those are always the words out of his mouth for weeks now, as if he wasn't sick of saying that and getting the same reply.

"Ye-yeah," Peter answered, feeling his cheeks grow warm even though there was nothing different about the encounter. He would have thought he would've at least stopped blushing by now.

"The usual then," he pointed a finger gun to Peter and clicked his tongue before turning around to grab a to-go cup.

Peter drummed his fingers nervously as he waited. It never took long, in fact, he wished it took longer. Just so he would have more of a reason to stick around in the same room as Harley for a couple more minutes.

His eyes widened and he tried to peer over Harley's body to see what he was writing when Peter noticed him pull out the marker from his pocket. He glanced around, not wanting to get caught by someone else because he was sure it looked like he was planning to hijack the tips jar, but luckily he was early enough that no one else had stopped in yet.

Peter quickly settled back flat footed when Harley began to turn back around—it wasn't very noticeable, but he had taken longer to write something down that time—with his steaming cup of coffee in one hand, the other pocketing the marker.

"That'll be $5.30." Instinctively, Peter reached for the money he always kept ready for the transaction. He knew he enjoyed the brief moment their hands touched in the exchange way too much, but Peter couldn't help himself. The brush sent electric tingles through Peter's hand and a little ways up his arm whenever it happened.

Peter wasn't sure what it was, his spider senses or just his regular instinct, but he glanced at the cup before he normally did.

He didn't make it three steps away from the counter before he stopped, staring wide eyed at the message in front of him.

 _I_ ' _m officially out of cheesy beverage related pick-up lines._ _Do you just wanna go out with me?_

For the first time, Peter turned around to find Harley nervous. It was very well mixed in with his normal bravado, that if Peter hadn't seen him at his best that he wouldn't have caught the anxiousness and pleading in the eyes he knew so well.

The stunned silence lasted until the edge of becoming awkward. That was when Peter had found his voice and stepped back to the counter. Harley tilted his head slightly to the side as Peter chuckled breathlessly.

"I um—yeah." Peter took a deep bresth and glanced back at his cup, smile growing. "Yeah! I-I would _really_ like that."

Any fear Harley had seemed to have melted as he grinned before his eyes flickered to the clock on the wall. "Thank God, I wasn't sure how I would be able to find something I hadn't already used on the internet." He said, relieved. "Well, I get off at eleven today."

"Uh," Peter rubbed the back of his neck, starting to feel disheartened as he spoke. "I'm not really free until tomorrow?"

"That's great!" Peter blinked. "Saturdays are my days off." He paused and leaned closer. "You don't come in on Saturday, do you?"

Peter avoided Harley's gaze. He had forgotten he knew Harley didn't work Saturdays or Wednesday. He just subconsciously never went when he found out.

He could almost feel the grin from across the counter, just as teasing as Ned was. Peter looked back up. "Any time after noon is perfect."

"Perfect. I'll meet you here at noon then. You should go so you won't be late."

Peter laughed. "Here?"

"I can't think of anywhere else fitting enough for our first date."

"Yeah. Yeah you're right." He nodded his head and backed up towards the door.

He felt like there was something else that needed to be said before he left, not getting it until he was almost.

"I'm Peter, by the way." He spun back around. "My name. I-I'm Peter Parker."

"See you tomorrow, Peter."

Peter was beaming as he practically skipped across campus to get to his 7:00 lecture. He was the happiest he's ever been after leaving Bean Box, but he was certain he would be even happier tomorrow.


End file.
